In Out
by Nargled
Summary: Hermione has a baby. As we would expect Hermione to do it. Rated M for depiction of labor and delivery, but not graphic. No adventure or battles here. Chapter 3 is a Ginny version for G/H fans.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is actually version two of this story, but is likely to appeal to a wider audience, so I put it first. Version one is next, then version three. A stray thought crossed my mind as I read some other fanfics with Daphne or Ginny or Hermione giving birth with the usual stereotype of threats and curses: If Hermione was to be pregnant and give birth, how would she go about it? My attempt at her method.

Standard disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. Looked into buying the rights, found I was several billion dollars short. Or, to paraphrase a disclaimer I saw on robst's site, my thanks to Ms. Rowling for allowing all of us to build sandcastles on her beach. Enjoy.

In. Out.

Hermione was curled on her left side as the pain came again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing as the contraction reached its peak.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Slow and steady. The contraction caused an orange glow that started low in her back and abdomen and ended up behind her eyelids. It shifted and flowed, almost like the northern lights. She could hear the midwife talking quietly to her, feel Harry rubbing her back.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Then it eased up. She opened her eyes. Harry smiled at her. "How're you holding up?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

"Still okay."

"Was that one stronger?" asked Haylie, the midwife.

"Yes. A lot." She had been walking around for the first hour or two after arrival to the birthing center, hanging on to Harry's or her a parent's arm, but didn't feel like it now.

"Then we might be getting to the active phase. It's been a while, you want to be checked?"

"Alright." Hermione felt some uncomfortable pushing and stretching, but by now she was used to it.

"Just over 4 cm dilated, Hermione, and nearly fully effaced. So you've officially entered the active phase. So, on average about 5 hours to get to 10 cm." Haylie know Hermione liked facts and figures to work with.

Hermione had wanted a 'regular' midwife for her delivery. As far as the magical world had come, St. Mungo's still wouldn't allow a non-magical practitioner in the building. After some searching Hermione had found Haylie. She was non magical, but had a magical older brother. She was a certified midwife, but would accept that a port key to St. Mungo's might be needed in an emergency. She was only a little older than Hermione, and was a wonderful source of knowledge, enthusiasm and support. They felt lucky to have found her.

"Hmph. I'm going to try to meditate for a bit. Don't wake me up unless you have to. It might take a few minutes." They had talked during her labor classes about her meditating for pain control, and Haylie was fine with it. She was curious to see how it would work.

"Okay, Hermione. I'll be right here. If I need to check you, will that be OK?"

"That'll be fine. Thanks, Haylie."

Harry pulled a chair up to Hermione's bed and sat, leaning his arms on the mattress. "You ready?" he asked, taking her hand.

Hermione nodded and looked deep into his eyes, brown meeting green. Harry whispered under his breath "_Legilimens_."

They floated in the darkness, tightly holding hands. There was a single point of light in the distance. It flew towards them, or they towards it, there was no frame of reference here. It hovered in front of her, now an inch or so in diameter. It flashed with colors, blue and green and white. Hermione put her eye up to it and they were sucked into her mental sanctuary in a flash.

They stood in a high alpine meadow of tall green grass and wild flowers of every color. There was the soft hum of the bees as they gathered pollen and nectar, and the chirping of birds in the distance. The sky was a bright summer blue with a few white streaky clouds high up, seemingly above the sun. Ahead was a small two story stone house with thatched roof. A moss covered stone wall surrounded the house and a small yard. She pulled Harry through the gate. On a bench under the window was a large orange striped cat, sleeping in the sun. It looked up at them as they approached and stood up to stretch.

"Hello, Crooks," Hermione said, giving his back a good scratch. Purring, he arched his back in a big stretch, then curled back up to sleep.

Hermione pushed open the front door and they went inside. On the left was a tiny kitchen. Past that was the bedroom, a crib visible through the open door. The entire rest of the house was of course a library, two stories tall. Shelves surrounded the fireplace and chimney, and the windows letting in the sun. A staircase along the back wall leading up to the upper half of the library over the kitchen and bedroom, and the balcony around the main room was also lined with books.

Harry chuckled. Hermione looked up at him. "You have more books."

"Yes, I do. And I will get more, I'm sure. Don't be mean. You're here to help."

"Just teasing. Of course I'm here to help. Shall we?"

Harry helped her lower herself on the sofa in front of the fireplace, and sat down next to her, holding her hand. On the side table were books on pregnancy and birthing. At the bottom of the stack was a book titled "The Mind Arts." Hermione felt a slight twinge of a contraction. The light through the window had a trace of orange, and the front door creaked as something pushed against it. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Soon the twinge went away and the sky was blue again. She was going to be here for a few hours.

Harry let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. Another contraction started. Hermione did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

"Should I make you some tea, or anything?" Harry asked after she opened her eyes.

"No. Just hold me. I just need you near."

"I don't feel like I'm helping much."

"Sometimes it doesn't take much to help, Harry. Just help me stay calm and focus."

Another contraction.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The windows turned a dark orange, the walls bowed in and the roof gave a few pops.

"Getting stronger?"

"Yeah."

"Here." Harry slid to the end of the sofa, propped himself against the arm rest and held out his arms. Hermione scooted over and settled herself in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her abdomen. They were warm, and she felt herself relaxing as the warmth spread through her body.

"Hmmm. That feels nice. See, you are helping." She leaned back against him, putting her head on his shoulder and resting her arms on top of his.

They stayed like that for a while, contractions coming and going, her sanctuary and Harry's hands and presence keeping the pain down. The orange light came and went darkening over time, but the walls maintained their integrity.

"Getting close, do you think?" Harry asked eventually.

She sighed. "Don't know for sure. I can tell my body is getting a bit tired, but this is working well, so I don't know how things are progressing on the outside.

"Don't you mean in your insides on the outside?"

"Ha ha. Funny."

"Thank you."

"But not very."

"Hey, I thought it was good. Lighten the mood and all."

"My mood is actually good. I'm just feeling quiet."

Harry just hugged her tight and kissed her on her cheek. "I like being quiet with you."

"Thanks, Harry. I love you." She drew in a breath as another contraction started. Despite the warmth of Harry's hands on her abdomen, this one hurt. The windows blazed orange, and the walls again shifted and groaned.

In. Out.

In. Out.

She focused on her breathing and it passed.

"I must be getting closer. That was a strong one."

"About time. I was starting to wonder if she was ever going to come."

"Must take after you, then. I'm always early."

Harry just chuckled softly into her ear. "Good one."

A shadow fluttered in front of the window by the door, and there was a tapping on the glass. Hermione opened it with a wave. A raven flew in, muttering to itself, a piece of parchment in its beak. Hermione took it and the raven flew off. It said "Hermione, it's time."

"Seems like she's finally ready. Time to go love." She sounded a bit nervous.

"I know. You'll do fine."

"Thanks Harry. I love you."

"I love you too. Now I think Haylie and our daughter need you."

Hermione kissed Harry long on the lips. Relaxing back in his arms, she concentrated on the journey back out. She floated through the darkness with its single star before the outer world arrived with a rush of noise and light. She woke to hear Haylie saying "Hermione. Hermione, it's time. Time to wake up." She found herself in the middle of another contraction.

"Ahhhaaahhhahhhaaahhaaahh." Hermione felt red and yellow waves of sharp pain deep in her back and pelvis and into the region between her legs. It hurt like hell. She felt a thin layer of sweat break out on her chest and face. She was glad she didn't have much to eat that morning.

Harry squeezed her hand. "Breathe, Hermione, breathe."

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction passed. "Sorry, poor timing," Haylie said, rubbing Hermione's lower back. "But I didn't know how long it would take to wake you."

The contraction had ended, but the sharp pain did not recede all the way. Despite the meditation blocking the pain, she could tell her body had been working hard for a while. She felt achy and tired and quivery in her muscles, and vaguely motion sick. "Ooo, that hurt. Please tell me we're getting close."

"Yes, we are. You were complete a while ago, and the baby has been coming down nicely. You both were doing so well I didn't want to wake you. How did the meditation work?"

"Really well. With Harry's help, I didn't feel much until right before you called."

"Good. I'd be interested in trying to train other people how to do something like that, you've looked really comfortable from out here. Well, with the last contraction I could see a patch of hair. You'll probably feel the urge to push soon, if you don't already, so it was time."

"Good," Hermione said. She rested for a minute. "Can I sit up a bit?"

"Of course. Let me adjust the bed." The head of the bed rose, and Harry helped her shift onto her back. The foot lowered and she felt some of the back pain ease.

"Oh, that feels a bit better."

"Good. You're starting to stretch a bit, would you like a hot pack?"

"Please." Hermione felt a deep warmth, and felt the muscles relax a bit. "Ahhhh. That helps." A few moments later she felt the tightening start again. "Here comes another one." She closed her eyes and did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction was more powerful and painful, and the pain in her pelvis was sharper, with brighter shades of red and yellow. Sweat started dripping down into her eyes.

"Good, good. Looks like the position change let the head and shoulder come around the corner some more. Do you feel like you want to push?" Hermione shook her head, still focusing on her breathing. The contraction eased, but the pain in her pelvis remained.

She heard water dripping, then Harry put a cool cloth on her forehead. "Getting closer. The top of the head is still just visible. Should be soon. You're doing great." Hermione nodded without speaking. Haylie replaced the hot pack.

Soon the next contraction arrived, the reds and yellows brighter. The pain threatened to overcome her focus, and she felt a flutter of panic. She gripped Harry's hand tightly. She felt warmth on her cheek, heard Harry's whisper in her ear. "Breathe, Hermione." She concentrated on her breathing, and the pain felt farther away.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction faded away. The cool cloth was replaced on her forehead, and she scrubbed her face with it. She felt tired. She felt sore. She felt big. She felt like she was going to be split in two. She felt another brush on her cheek. She opened her eyes to see Harry's green eyes staring back. He smiled. She felt better. She felt loved. She stretched her aching back, and scooted up in the bed a bit.

Soon she felt the tightening starting again, and it quickly escalated. The pain was accompanied by a pressure in her bum.

In. Out.

In...

Her breathing faltered. "Good, Hermione, good. Good progress with this one." Haylie noted the skip in the breathing. "Do you feel like you want to push?" Hermione nodded emphatically. "Good. Take a deep breath and hold it. Think about where the pressure is and push." Hermione held her breath, focused on the pressure and pushed.

"Excellent, lots of movement. Keep pushing, keep pushing. Good. Keep pushing until you need to breathe or the contraction ends."

Hermione strained and pushed, then the contraction eased and she gasped for air. "Ow ow ow ow ow..." The pain was nearly to the skin level now, and felt like a round ring of fire trying to burn its way out.

"I know, I know. Lots of stretching. A few more and we should have a baby. You're doing great."

She heard Harry ask "Is that her head?"

"Yep. Just starting to come out. Do you want to feel it, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. "Let me have your hand." Her hand was guided down, and she could feel a slightly squishy hair-covered lump. "There's your baby. Almost here." Tears sprang to her eyes. This more than anything else, her swollen tummy, the kicks and flops and rolls, made it real. She was going to have a baby. She was going to be a mother. She touched it again, mentally reassuring her daughter and taking strength from her at the same time.

The next contraction ramped up quickly, and Hermione took a breath and pushed before Haylie could tell her. "Good Hermione, good! Keep going." Hermione felt the ring of fire burn and spread. Harry was holding her hand tight and whispering support in her ear. She let out a wordless yell. "Good, good, good. The head's coming... almost... almost... Ok, the head's out Hermione, stop pushing for a second. Breathe through it."

Hermione grunted and shook her head. She needed to push. Harry's voice cut through the red and yellow haze. "Breathe, Hermione, breathe."

In. Out.

In. Out.

She heard the squishy noise of the mouth and nose being suctioned. "Ready to finish?" Haylie asked. She nodded. "OK, go."

Hermione took another breath in and pushed. She felt hands around her daughter and press down. "Push, push, push, push," chanted Haylie. Hermione felt the stretching increase again, saw red and yellow in her vision. There was a small 'pop' and suddenly she felt like her insides were falling out.

"OK Hermione, you can relax! Here it comes. Your baby's out!" Hermione panted heavily, the ring of fire fading fast. Her legs started shaking, then her hands. She felt suddenly cold. "Good job, Hermione, you did great," said Haylie. She noticed the shaking. "The shaking is normal, it's the adrenaline. If you feel nauseated you let me know. You were right, it's a girl, and she looks wonderful." There was a couple of clicks. "Harry, did you want to cut the cord?" He left her side for a moment, then she heard a snip.

"Open up your gown." Hermione looked down and saw Haylie drying off a slippery slimy squirming tiny baby. "Here you go." She opened her gown and Haylie placed the naked baby on her bare chest with a wide smile. She closed the gown over the baby, then covered them both with a couple of blankets. Hermione looked into the bright blue eyes that were staring back up at her from under the blankets. There was a thick head of spiky black hair, pointing out in all directions from the towel drying. She wrapped her arms around her precious bundle and laid her head back, exhausted.

Harry was back, kissing the top of her head. Hermione turned to him and he gave her a kiss that she felt down to her toes. They broke the kiss, foreheads still touching. She looked into his eyes. She could see the crinkles from his smile. "You did it. I'm so in awe of you right now. What an amazing thing. Thank you for this." He looked down at his daughter, put a hand on her hair. "She's so beautiful."

"We did it, Harry. I couldn't have done it without you."

"You flatter me. I know I got the easy part."

Hermione smiled, then grunted as she felt a sharp pain down below.

"Sorry, Hermione, just checking. You have a bit of a tear, right near the outside. No major damage, but it's big enough I want to stitch it up. You remember our discussion about all the things I have to do after the delivery?"

Hermione nodded tiredly, lay her head back again and closed her eyes. Harry stroked her head gently. "Vaguely."

"First is the shot to help the placenta deliver and to prevent bleeding. That goes in your thigh. Ready?"

Hermione nodded again. She felt a cold swipe on her leg, then a small burn. "All done with that. While we're waiting on the placenta, I'm going to numb you up, and start on the sewing." There were some clicks, clinks and sounds of things being torn open. "Alright, ready for the numbing? It'll sting like the dickens for a minute."

"Alright." Hermione hissed at the sting and burn, but it quickly faded away. She reached around on the bed.

"What do you need, Hermione?" asked Harry.

"A pillow. I need to be up a bit more." Harry grabbed a pillow and propped her head up. She stared into her daughter's eyes again. Such a pretty shade of light blue, like the cornflowers in the meadow of her inner place, or the sky. She stroked a cheek with the back of her finger. So soft.

"Hello, Lily Jane. Welcome to the world." They had agreed on the name even before she was pregnant. Her daughter blinked and stared back some more. Tears tracked down her face, and she wiped them with her hand, sniffing.

Haylie looked up. "Alright there Hermione?"

"Alright, just emotional."

"That's normal. Just let it come. You said Lily Jane?" Hermione nodded. "That's a lovely name."

Hermione smiled and nodded again. "Harry's mum's name, my mum's middle name." Family was important.

She felt a small contraction and soon after a small leakage of fluid. "Good," said Haylie. Hermione felt a gentle tugging. "The placenta is coming out, it'll feel a little weird." She was right, it was weird. Haylie's hand gently massaged her abdomen. There was a sliding, gushing feeling, then she heard a couple of plops.

Harry echoed her thoughts. "You're right, that is weird."

Haylie laughed. "But one hundred percent normal. You're not going to pass out on me, are you?"

Harry shook his head, but did sit down on the chair again.

"OK, Hermione, that's out and appears to be all there. I'm going to press on your uterus some more to make sure it's shrinking down ok. You'll probably feel some more cramps or contractions." Haylie's hand pressed deep into Hermione's now shrunken tummy. Hermione grunted. "I know it's uncomfortable, it'll be over in a sec. Right, it's firming up nicely." The hand disappeared. Hermione rested her head back again. "I'm going to sew now. You will feel some pulling and tugging, but shouldn't feel any pain. If you do, let me know. After that I need to check inside for any tears." Haylie looked up and saw Hermione's eyes were closed. "You can rest, sleep if you want. I'll get you closed up, then cleaned up. If Lilly or I need you, I'll let you know."

"Mm-hmm," Hermione mumbled, and she nodded off.

"Hermione... Hermione..." Hermione woke slowly from sleep. She wondered why Harry was waking her up so early. "Hermione…." She opened her eyes to see Harry sitting next to her bed, a swaddled bundle in his arms, and a happy grin on his face.

"Good morning!" said Haylie. "You both had a good nap, but now she's awake and fussy, and should be nursed, and Harry's not got the right equipment." Hermione chuckled sleepily, then stretched and held out her arms. She felt better after her rest. She was sweaty, sticky, and smelled funny, but she actually felt good. It was nice just to be able to take a deep breath again, and the pressure on her back and bladder were gone. "I gave her a once over and cleaned her up. She's perfect."

Harry lowered the baby into the waiting arms. "Here you go, love." Lily's hair was washed and brushed flat.

Haylie continued. "You're all stitched up and cleaned up, or the bottom half of you anyway. Once you feed her we can try for a shower if you want."

"Thanks. That sounds lovely." Hermione tugged at her gown, opening it up. Haylie raised the head of the bed and positioned a pillow on her lap. Hermione scooted up in bed a bit and arranged Lily in the crook of her left arm. She rolled her in towards her breast and used her right hand to tap Lily's lips. Her mouth and eyes opened wide on instinct and Hermione pulled her close and popped her breast into the waiting mouth. Lily started nursing, her little jaw working, and stared up at Hermione's face for a moment before her eyes closed in contentment.

"Nicely done. You remembered the videos. Any pain?" asked Haylie.

"No pain. A little weird, but it doesn't hurt."

"Good," said Haylie. "Your parents are in the waiting room. They were in for a bit while you were napping and oohed and ahhed over their new granddaughter. You ready for them to come back in?"

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot about them. Have they been out there long?"

Haylie laughed. "Just a few minutes. I wanted to get you nursing. Do you need a blanket to cover up?"

Hermione shook her head. Pregnancy and childbirth seemed to have reset her sense of modesty.

"Alright, I'll send them in. I'll be in and out putting my equipment away, then I'll be at the desk doing my paperwork. Did you want some tea, or anything?"

Hermione looked down at her daughter, still nursing.

"When we're done, I guess. I don't know if I'm coordinated enough yet for nursing and drinking."

Haylie laughed again. "You will be soon, to be sure. Back in a tic. Give a shout if you need me."

Hermione looked down at her precious daughter as her mum and dad came in the room, smiling. Three generations in the same room. Harry looked happier than she had ever seen him, except maybe for their wedding day. Her mum came to give her a hug as her dad was telling Harry about Hermione's birth. _We did it, Harry. We made a miracle. We have a family now._ _We're a family._ She sighed contentedly. In. Out.

A/N: I fully realize this is way shorter than an actual delivery. There's only so many ways you can describe a contraction, and listing another twenty or thirty here really wouldn't serve any purpose for the story (it's _fiction_, not a documentary or labor manual). I have been privileged to attend many births, and have seen many of the classic stereotypes: peaceful, focused, crying, screaming, epiduraled and chatting on the phone, alone or with eighteen (really) family members in the room. Before I get tons of angry reviews saying no delivery could ever go this smoothly, or describing all the horror stories that are out there, I will relate the most blessed delivery I was witness to. It was a young college athlete with her first pregnancy. She practiced with her team until her fifth month when her tummy threw her balance off and her pelvis was sore. She started her own labor on a Saturday morning in week 40 by going for a two mile walk. She showed up at 5 cm, and progressed without a peep or meds to 10 cm. Her mother was her labor support and the only support she had. She pushed for about 30 minutes, ie about 8-10 times, also without a peep, and delivered a 3500 gram baby. No tears. Or tears. I had to laugh when she thanked me, as I really had done nothing at all other than cut the cord. She went home the next morning. Not at all typical I know, but the standard I use for what is possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Standard disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. Looked into buying the rights, found I was several billion dollars short. Or, to paraphrase a disclaimer I saw on robst's site, my thanks to Ms. Rowling for allowing all of us to build sandcastles on her beach. Enjoy.

A/N: The original version of the story. More comments at the bottom after you read it.

In. Out.

Hermione was curled on her left side as the pain came again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing as the contraction reached its peak.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Slow and steady. The contraction caused an orange glow that started low in her back and abdomen and ended up behind her eyelids. It shifted and flowed, almost like the northern lights. She could hear the midwife talking quietly to her, feel her rubbing her back.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Then it eased up. She opened her eyes.

"Was that one stronger?" asked Haylie, the midwife.

"Yes. A lot." She had been walking around for the first hour or two, but didn't feel like it now.

"Then we might be getting to the active phase. You want to be checked?"

"Alright." Hermione felt some uncomfortable pushing and stretching, but by now she was used to it.

"Just over 4 cm, Hermione. So starting the active phase. So, on average about 5 hours to get to 10 cm." Haylie know Hermione liked facts and figures to work with.

"Hmph. I'm going to try to meditate for a bit. Don't wake me up unless you have to. It may take a few minutes." They had talked during her labor classes about her meditating for pain control, and Haylie was fine with it. She was curious to see how it would work.

"Okay, Hermione. I'll be right here. If I need to check you, will that be OK?"

"That'll be fine. Thanks, Haylie."

Hermione closed her eyes again, and again focused on her breathing. But this time she turned her focus inwards, and felt the familiar floaty sensation starting. Soon she was looking down at the Earth, floating in space, the stars in their millions around her. So beautiful, she thought. She looked at the constellations, and saw a small flickering star near Orion's hand. She concentrated, and it flew towards her, or she flew towards it, there was no frame of reference here. It hovered in front of her, now an inch or so in diameter. It flashed with colors, blue and green and white. She put her mental eye up to it and was sucked in in a flash.

She stood in a high alpine meadow of tall green grass and wild flowers of every color. She could hear the hum of the bees as they gathered pollen and nectar, birds singing in the distance. The sky was a bright summer blue with a few white streaky clouds high up, seemingly above the sun. Ahead was a small two story stone house with thatched roof. A moss covered stone wall surrounded the house and a small yard. She passed through the gate. On a bench under the window was a large orange striped cat, sleeping in the sun. It looked up at her as she approached and stood up to stretch.

"Hello, Crooks," Hermione said, giving his back a good scratch. Purring, he arched his back, then curled back up to sleep.

Hermione pushed open the front door and went inside. On the left was a tiny kitchen. Past that was the bedroom, a crib visible through the open door. The entire rest of the house was of course a library, two stories tall. Shelves surrounded the fireplace and chimney, and the windows letting in the sun. A staircase along the back wall leading up to the upper half of the library over the kitchen and bedroom, and the balcony around the main room was also lined with books.

Hermione sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace. On the side table were books on pregnancy and birthing. At the bottom of the stack was a book titled "The Mind Arts." She felt a slight twinge of a contraction. The light through the window had a trace of orange, and the front door creaked as something pushed against it. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Soon the twinge went away and the sky was blue again. She was going to be here for a few hours.

She reached over the end of the couch and grabbed a large book off the floor. Setting it on her lap, she opened it to the first page. It was a photo album. The contractions came and went every few minutes as she paged through it, casting an orange glow on the walls and causing them to creak and groan.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The photos started at graduation, some of her with her parents, some with people from school. Harry appeared more and more often with her as she went on. There was the vacation to Nice. Harry's graduation from the Auror Academy. Then the wedding, and the honeymoon. Hermione smiled.

Three fourths of the way through the album, the photos stopped. The last picture was of Harry standing behind Hermione, arms reaching around her, both their hands on her just visible baby bump, chin on her shoulder. There were wide smiles on their faces, Harry turning to give her a big kiss on the cheek.

Harry had died, assassinated waiting for her at a restaurant. Her parents were just entering, and were struck down as well. It was thought that they were just targets of opportunity. Hermione arrived just in time to witness the aftermath. The last known death eater had not survived the manhunt long, he hadn't even disguised himself, but the damage was done. Hermione was devastated, and had fled to the muggle world in Wales to be alone. She rented a small cottage on the edge of town, and had found Haylie and her birthing center through the local clinic. She was a godsend of support and the height of discretion. The same age as Hermione, she was a pleasant mix of enthusiasm, knowledge and caring.

Tears fell onto the last photo. She put her hand flat on it and closed her eyes. "I wish you were here."

She felt a hand rubbing her shoulders. "Your wish is my command."

She leaned into him, and his arm went around her shoulders. "Thanks for coming."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world. Besides, in this place, your wish really is my command."

"True. I'm still glad you came."

"How's it going?"

"Finally reached active phase. Don't know why they call it that, I'm still not doing much, and I really don't want to walk around anymore. Contractions are getting stronger, but I was able to come here to wait them out. Haylie will wake me when it's time."

Another contraction started. Hermione did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The windows turned a dark orange, the walls bowed in and the roof gave a few pops.

"Getting stronger?"

"Yeah."

"Here." Harry slid to the end of the sofa and propped himself against the arm rest. Hermione settled herself in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her abdomen. They were warm, and she felt herself relaxing as the warmth spread through her body.

"Hmmm. That feels nice. Thanks for helping." She leaned back against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sure."

They rested like that for a while, contractions coming and going, her sanctuary here and Harry's hands and presence keeping the pain down. The orange light came and went darkening over time, but the walls maintained their integrity.

"Getting close, do you think?" Harry asked eventually.

"Don't know for sure. This is working well, so I don't know how things are progressing on the outside."

"Don't you mean in your insides on the outside?"

"Ha ha. Funny."

"Thank you."

"But not very."

"Hey, I thought it was good. Lighten the mood and all."

"My mood is actually good. I'm just feeling quiet."

"Which is code for what?"

She sighed. "I'm just missing you."

"I'm right here, you know."

"I know. I just wish you could be with me on the outside. See our daughter. Hold her, tell her stories, teach her to fly, watch her do magic."

"I know. Me, too. But I can be here. Which is an amazing bit of work on your part, by the way. And even if I'm not really _here_," he said, giving her another squeeze, "I am here," and he kissed her temple, "and here," and he laid a hand over her heart, "always."

"Thanks, Harry. I love you." She drew in a breath as another contraction started. Despite Harry's hands on her abdomen, this one hurt. The windows blazed orange, and the walls again shifted and groaned.

In. Out.

In. Out.

She focused on her breathing and it passed.

"I must be getting closer. That was a strong one."

"About time. I was starting to wonder if she was ever going to come."

A shadow fluttered in front of the window by the door, and there was a tapping on the glass. Hermione opened it with a wave. A raven flew in, muttering to itself, a piece of parchment in its beak. Hermione took it and the raven flew off. It said "Hermione, it's time."

"Seems like she is. Time to go love."

"I know. You'll do fine."

"I wish you could come."

"I know." He hugged her tight. "Try this. Close your eyes. Take my hand. Good. Now, when you leave, just don't let go."

"Thanks Harry. I love you."

"I love you too. Now I think Haylie and our daughter need you."

Hermione kissed Harry long on the lips, tears on her cheeks. Relaxing back in his arms, she concentrated on the journey back out, and not letting go of his hand. She floated through the darkness at the Earth, and soon plummeted towards the ground. The outer world arrived with a rush of noise and light. She woke to hear Haylie saying "Hermione. Hermione, it's time. Time to wake up." She found herself in the middle of another contraction.

"Ahhhaaahhhahhhaaahhaaahh." Hermione felt red and yellow waves of sharp pain deep in her pelvis and into the region between her legs. It hurt like hell. She felt a thin layer of sweat break out on her chest and face. She was glad she didn't have much to eat that morning.

"Breathe, Hermione, breathe."

In. Out.

In. Out.

"Good. Better. Sorry, poor timing," Haylie said, rubbing Hermione's lower back. "But I didn't know how long it would take to wake you."

The contraction passed, but the sharp pain did not recede all the way. Despite the meditation blocking the pain, she could tell her body had been working hard for a while. She felt achy and tired and quivery in her muscles, and vaguely motion sick. "Ooo, that hurt. Please tell me we're getting close."

"Yes, we are. You were complete a while ago, and the baby has been coming down nicely. You both were doing so well I didn't want to wake you. With the last contraction I could see a patch of hair. You'll probably feel the urge to push soon, if you don't already, so it was time."

"Oh, good." She rested for a minute. "Can I sit up a bit?"

"Of course. Let me adjust the bed." The head of the bed rose, and Hermione shifted onto her back. The foot lowered and she felt some of the back pain ease. She thought of Harry, and felt a warmth and pressure in her right hand. It may have been both literally and figuratively in her head, but it reassured her anyway.

"Oh, that feels a bit better."

"Good. You're starting to stretch a bit, would you like a hot pack?"

"Please." Hermione felt a deep warmth, and felt the muscles relax a bit. "Ahhhh. That helps." A few moments later she felt the tightening start again. "Here comes another one." She closed her eyes and did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction was more powerful and painful, and the pain in her pelvis was sharper, with brighter shades of red and yellow. Sweat started dripping down into her eyes.

"Good, good. Looks like the position change let the head and shoulder come around the corner some more. Do you feel like you want to push?" Hermione shook her head, still focusing on her breathing. The contraction eased, but the pain in her pelvis remained.

She heard water dripping, then felt a cool cloth on her forehead. "Getting closer. The top of the head is still just visible. Should be soon. You're doing great." Hermione nodded without speaking.

Soon the next contraction arrived, the reds and yellows brighter. The pain threatened to overcome her focus, and she felt a flutter of panic. She reached out with her right hand for Harry but only found the rail on the side of the bed. She felt warmth on her cheek, heard Harry's whisper in her ear. "Breathe, Hermione." She concentrated on her breathing, and the pain felt farther away.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction faded away. The cloth was replaced on her forehead, and she scrubbed her face with it. She felt tired. She wished Harry was really there, to grab on to, to yell at, to kiss. She felt another brush of her cheek. She stretched her aching back, and scooted up in the bed a bit.

Soon she felt the tightening starting again, and it quickly escalated. The pain was accompanied by a pressure in her bum.

In. Out.

In...

Her breathing faltered. "Good, Hermione, good. Good progress with this one." Haylie noted the skip in the breathing. "Do you feel like you want to push?" Hermione nodded emphatically. "Good. Take a deep breath and hold it. Think about the pressure and push it out. Hermione held her breath, focused on the pressure and pushed.

"Excellent, lots of movement. Keep pushing, keep pushing. Good. Keep pushing until you need to breathe or the contraction ends."

Hermione strained and pushed, then the contraction eased and she gasped for air. "Ow ow ow ow ow..." The pain was nearly to the skin level now, and felt like a round ring of fire trying to burn its way out.

"I know, I know. Lots of stretching. A few more and we should have a baby. You're doing great. Do you want to feel the head?"

Hermione nodded. "Let me have your hand." Her hand was guided down, and she could feel a slightly squishy hair-covered lump. "There's your baby. Almost here." Tears sprang to her eyes. This more than anything else, her swollen tummy, the kicks and flops and rolls, made it real. She was going to have a baby. She was going to be a mother. She touched it again, mentally reassuring her daughter and taking strength from her at the same time.

The next contraction ramped up quickly, and Hermione took a breath and pushed before Haylie could tell her. "Good Hermione, good! Keep going." Hermione felt the ring of fire burn and spread. She let out a wordless yell. "Good, good, good. The head's coming... almost... almost... Ok, the head's out Hermione, stop pushing for a second. Breathe through it." Hermione grunted and shook her head. She needed to push. She heard the squishy noise of the mouth and nose being suctioned. "Ready to finish?" Haylie asked. She nodded. "OK, go."

Hermione took another breath in and pushed. She felt hands around her daughter and pressing down. "Push, push, push, push," chanted Haylie. Hermione felt the stretching increase again, saw red and yellow in her vision. There was a small 'pop' and suddenly she felt like her insides were falling out.

"OK Hermione, you can relax! Here it comes. Your baby's out!" Hermione panted heavily, the ring of fire fading fast. Her legs started shaking, then her hands. She felt suddenly cold. "Good job, Hermione, you did great," said Haylie. She noticed the shaking. "The shaking is normal, it's the adrenaline. If you feel nauseated you let me know. You were right, it's a girl, and she looks wonderful." There was a couple of clicks, then a snip. "Open up your gown." Hermione looked down and saw Haylie drying off a slippery slimy squirming tiny baby. "Here you go." She opened her gown and Haylie placed the naked baby on her bare chest with a wide smile. She closed the gown over the baby, then covered them both with a couple small blankets. Hermione looked into the bright blue eyes that were staring back up at her from under the blankets. There was a thick head of spiky black hair, pointing out in all directions from the towel drying. She wrapped her arms around her precious bundle and laid her head back, exhausted. She grunted as she felt a sharp pain down below.

"Sorry, Hermione, just checking. You have a bit of a tear, right near the outside. No major damage, but it's big enough I want to stitch it up. You remember our discussion about all the things I have to do after the delivery?"

Hermione nodded tiredly. "Vaguely."

"First is the shot to help the placenta deliver and to prevent bleeding. That goes in your thigh. Ready?"

Hermione nodded again. She felt a cold swipe on her leg, then a small burn. "All done with that. While we're waiting on the placenta, I'm going to numb you up, and start on the sewing." There were some clicks, clinks and sounds of things being torn open. "Alright, ready for the numbing? It'll sting like the dickens for a minute."

"Alright." Hermione hissed at the sting and burn, but it quickly faded away. She reached around on the bed until she found a pillow and propped her head up. She stared into her daughter's eyes again. Such a pretty shade of light blue, like the cornflowers in the meadow of her inner place, or the sky. She stroked a cheek with the back of her finger. So soft.

"Hello, Branwen Rose. Welcome to the world." Her daughter blinked and stared back some more. Tears tracked down her face, and she wiped them with her hand, sniffing.

Haylie looked up. "Alright there Hermione?"

"Alright, just emotional."

"That's normal. Just let it come. You said Branwen Rose?" Hermione nodded. "That's a lovely Welsh name." Hermione smiled and nodded again. "Harry would be very proud," she said quietly.

Hermione looked down again at her daughter. "Yes he would."

She felt a small contraction and soon after a small leakage of fluid. "Good," said Haylie. Hermione felt a gentle tugging. "The placenta is coming out, it'll feel a little weird." She was right, it was weird. Haylie's hand gently massaged her abdomen. There was a sliding, gushing feeling, then she heard a couple of plops. "OK, Hermione, that's out. I'm going to press on your uterus some more to make sure it's shrinking down ok. You'll probably feel some more cramps or contractions." Haylie's hand pressed deep into Hermione's now shrunken tummy. Hermione grunted. "I know it's uncomfortable, it'll be over in a tic. Yep, it's firming up nicely." The hand disappeared. Hermione rested her head back again. "I'm going to sew now. You will feel some pulling and tugging, but shouldn't feel any pain. If you do, let me know. After that I need to check inside for any tears." Haylie looked up and saw Hermione's eyes were closed. "You can rest, sleep if you want. I'll get you closed up, then cleaned up. If Branwen or I need you, I'll let you know."

"Mm-hmm," Hermione mumbled, and she nodded off.

She dreamed of her inner sanctuary. She was on the sofa with Branwen in her arms. She looked up and Harry faded into being. He sat beside her and gave them both a big hug. Hermione turned to him and he gave her a kiss that she felt down to her toes. They broke the kiss, foreheads still touching. She looked into his eyes. She could see the crinkles from his smile. "You did it. I'm so in awe of you right now. What an amazing thing. Thank you for this." He looked down at his daughter, put a hand on her hair.

"We did it, Harry. I couldn't have done it without you." She leaned into his side. "You want to tell her a story?"

Harry laughed. "Of course." He gently lifted Branwen from her arms and cradled her gently. Hermione snuggled in tighter and closed her eyes, sighing. She felt at peace for the first time in months. "Once upon a time, at a train station in London, three magical children were about to meet for the first time..." Hermione dozed off again, listening to Harry's voice rumbling under her ear.

"Hermione... Hermione..." Hermione woke slowly from sleep. She was confused as to where she was and who was talking to her. Something seemed to be missing. She tightened her arms and only felt herself. Her baby! Her eyes shot open to see Haylie standing next to her bed, a swaddled bundle in her arms. "Good morning! You both had a good nap, but now she's awake and fussy, so you should try and nurse her." Hermione sighed in relief at the sight of Branwen, then stretched and held out her arms. She felt better after her sleep. She was sweaty, sticky, and smelled funny, but she actually felt good. It was nice just to be able to take a deep breath again, and the pressure on her back and bladder were gone. "I gave her a once over and cleaned her up. She's perfect." She lowered the baby into the waiting arms. "You're all stitched up and cleaned up, or the bottom half of you anyway. Once you feed her we can try for a shower if you want."

"Thanks. That sounds lovely." Hermione tugged at her gown, opening it up. Haylie raised the head of the bed and positioned a pillow on her lap. Hermione scooted up in bed a bit and arranged Branwen in the crook of her left arm. She rolled her in towards her breast and used her right hand to tap her lips. Branwen's mouth and eyes opened wide on instinct and Hermione pulled her close and popped her breast into the waiting mouth. Branwen started nursing and stared up at Hermione's face for a moment before her eyes closed in contentment.

"Nicely done. You remember the videos. Any pain?" asked Haylie.

"No pain. A little weird, but it doesn't hurt."

"Good," said Haylie. "I'll leave you two for a bit. I'll be in and out putting my equipment away, then I'll be at the desk doing my paperwork. Did you want some tea, or anything?"

"When we're done, I guess. I don't know if I'm coordinated enough yet for nursing and a hot tea."

"Alright then. Back in a tic. Give a shout if you need me."

Hermione looked down at her precious daughter, her last, best gift from Harry. Her new anchor to the real world. _We did it, Harry. We made a miracle. We have a family now._ She rested her head back. Tears leaked out from her closed eyes. _We're a family._ She took a big cleansing breath and released her tension. In. Out.

A/N: Branwen has Irish, Celtic, Arthurian and Welsh meanings. I chose it for the Welsh meaning 'fair raven.' This is the original version as per the image that came to me. It required Harry to be in her mental space only, which required that he not be in the real world, and why were her parents not there? So they had to go too. It worked, but all the tragedy seemed forced and artificial. But it raised the emotional content of the story. So I put it up as an alternative version. Enjoy, or not.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So here is version three, for Ginny fans…

Standard disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. Looked into buying the rights, found I was several billion dollars short. Or, to paraphrase a disclaimer I saw on robst's site, my thanks to Ms. Rowling for allowing all of us to build sandcastles on her beach. Enjoy.

In. Out.

Ginny was curled on her left side as the pain came again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing as the contraction reached its peak.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Slow and steady. The contraction caused an orange glow that started low in her back and abdomen and ended up behind her eyelids. It shifted and flowed, almost like the northern lights. She could hear the healer talking quietly to her, feel Harry rubbing her back.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Then it eased up. She opened her eyes. Harry smiled at her. "How're you holding up?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

"Still okay."

"Was that one stronger?" asked Haylie, the midwife.

"Yes. A lot." She had been walking around for the first hour or two after arrival to the birthing center, hanging on to Harry's or her a parent's arm, but didn't feel like it now.

"Then we might be getting to the active phase. Let's see." Haylie waved her wand in a tight circle. The charm caused a faint blue glow over her abdomen.

"Just over 4 cm dilated, Ginny, and nearly fully effaced. So you've officially entered the active phase. So, on average about 5 hours to get to 10 cm." Haylie know Ginny liked things laid out for her.

Ginny and Harry had been nervous about finding a Healer for her pregnancy. The Boy-Who-Lived and the Quidditch star dealt with rabid and frankly crazy fans all the time. Letting someone new into their lives intimately was a difficult thing. Fortunately they found Haylie. She had been a birthing healer for years, and had seen it all. Her only acknowledgement of Harry's status was a sincere 'thank you,' then the focus was on Ginny and what she wanted for her delivery. They were very pleased with her care and now considered her a friend.

"Hmph. I'm going to try the occlumancy for a bit. Don't wake me up unless you have to. It might take a few minutes." They had talked during her labor classes about her meditating for pain control, and Haylie was fine with it. She was curious to see how it would work, and if she could modify it for other patients or other problems. There were some things spells or potions couldn't do or fix.

"Okay, Ginny. I'll be right here."

"Thanks, Haylie."

Harry pulled a chair up to Ginny's bed and sat, leaning his arms on the mattress. "You ready?" he asked, taking her hand.

Ginny nodded and looked deep into his eyes, brown meeting green. Harry whispered under his breath "_Legilimens_."

They floated in the darkness, tightly holding hands. There was a single point of light in the distance. It flew towards them, or they towards it, there was no frame of reference here. It hovered in front of her, now an inch or so in diameter. It flashed with colors, blue and green and white. Ginny put her eye up to it and they were sucked into her mental sanctuary in a flash.

They stood in a field of tall green grass and wild flowers of every color. There was the soft hum of the bees as they gathered pollen and nectar, and the chirping of birds in the distance. The sky was a bright summer blue with a few white streaky clouds high up, seemingly above the sun. Ahead was a familiar twisted lopsided tower of a house, the Burrow. For both of them, this was home more than any other place.

Ginny pushed open the front door and they went inside. It was just like Ginny remembered from her childhood, and Harry remembered from the first time he visited. The rooms were odd shaped, the furnishings worn and mismatched. All that was missing was the crowd of other Weasleys bustling about. But it was home, the first either had, and they were safe here.

They looked at each other and smiled. They said at the same time "Home sweet home."

Harry looked at his very pregnant wife. "Shall we?"

Harry helped her lower herself on the sofa in front of the fireplace, and sat down next to her, holding her hand. On the side table were books on pregnancy and birthing. At the bottom of the stack was a book titled "The Mind Arts." As the wife of Harry Potter, and for her own fame, they felt it important that she learn Occlumancy. It wasn't until much later that they figured that not only could it keep people _out_, but it could allow a refuge and shared experience if you let someone _in_. They decided to try it for Ginny's labor and see if they could go without charms or potions.

Ginny felt a slight twinge of a contraction. The light through the window had a trace of orange, and the front door creaked as something pushed against it. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Soon the twinge went away and the sky was blue again. She was going to be here for a few hours.

Harry let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. Another contraction started. Ginny did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

"Should I make you some tea, or anything?" Harry asked after she opened her eyes.

"No. Just hold me. I just need you near."

"I don't feel like I'm helping much." 

"Sometimes it doesn't take much to help, Harry. Just help me stay calm and focus."

Another contraction.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The windows turned a dark orange, the walls bowed in and the roof gave a few pops.

"Getting stronger?"

"Yeah."

"Here." Harry slid to the end of the sofa, propped himself against the arm rest and held out his arms. Ginny scooted over and settled herself in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her abdomen. They were warm, and she felt herself relaxing as the warmth spread through her body.

"Hmmm. That feels nice. See, you are helping." She leaned back against him, putting her head on his shoulder and resting her arms on top of his.

They stayed like that for a while, contractions coming and going, her sanctuary and Harry's hands and presence keeping the pain down. The orange light came and went darkening over time, but the walls maintained their integrity.

"Getting close, do you think?" Harry asked eventually.

She sighed. "Don't know for sure. I can tell my body is getting a bit tired, but this is working well, so I don't know how things are progressing on the outside.

"Don't you mean in your insides on the outside?"

"Ha ha. Funny."

"Thank you."

"But not very."

"Hey, I thought it was good. Lighten the mood and all."

"My mood is actually good. I'm just feeling quiet."

Harry just hugged her tight and kissed her on her cheek. "I like being quiet with you."

"Thanks, Harry. I love you." She drew in a breath as another contraction started. Despite the warmth of Harry's hands on her abdomen, this one hurt. The windows blazed orange, and the walls again shifted and groaned.

In. Out.

In. Out.

She focused on her breathing and it passed.

"I must be getting closer. That was a strong one."

"About time. I was starting to wonder if she was ever going to come."

"Must take after you, then. I'm always early."

Harry just chuckled softly into her ear. "Good one."

A shadow fluttered in front of the window by the door, and there was a tapping on the glass. Ginny opened it with a wave. A raven flew in, muttering to itself, a piece of parchment in its beak. Ginny took it and the raven flew off. It said "Ginny, it's time."

"Seems like she's finally ready. Time to go love." She sounded a bit nervous.

"I know. You'll do fine."

"Thanks Harry. I love you."

"I love you too. Now I think Haylie and our daughter need you."

Ginny kissed Harry long on the lips. Relaxing back in his arms, she concentrated on the journey back out. She floated through the darkness with its single star before the outer world arrived with a rush of noise and light. She woke to hear Haylie saying "Ginny. Ginny, it's time. Time to wake up." She found herself in the middle of another contraction.

"Ahhhaaahhhahhhaaahhaaahh." Ginny felt red and yellow waves of sharp pain deep in her back and pelvis and into the region between her legs. It hurt like hell. She felt a thin layer of sweat break out on her chest and face. She was glad she didn't have much to eat that morning.

Harry squeezed her hand. "Breathe, Ginny, breathe."

Ginny lost her temper briefly. "Let's see you breathe with a bludger shoved up your…."

"Language, Ginny." He caught her eyes, trying not to laugh. "Breathe."

Ginny calmed, focused on her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction passed. "Sorry, poor timing," Haylie said, rubbing Ginny's lower back. "But I didn't know how long it would take to wake you."

The contraction had ended, but the sharp pain did not recede all the way. Despite the meditation blocking the pain, she could tell her body had been working hard for a while. She felt achy and tired and quivery in her muscles, and vaguely motion sick. "Ooo, that hurt. Please tell me we're getting close."

"Yes, we are. You were complete a while ago, and the baby has been coming down nicely. The charms said you were both doing fine, so I didn't want to wake you. How did the occlumancy work?"

"Really well. With Harry's help, I didn't feel much until right before you called."

"Good. You've looked really comfortable from out here. Well, with the last contraction I could see a patch of hair. You'll probably feel the urge to push soon, if you don't already, so it was time."

"Good," Ginny said. She rested for a minute. "Can I sit up a bit?"

"Of course. Let me adjust the bed." The head of the bed rose, and Harry helped her shift onto her back. The foot lowered and she felt some of the back pain ease.

"Oh, that feels a bit better."

"Good. You're starting to stretch a bit, would you like a heating charm?"

"Please." Ginny felt a deep warmth, and felt the muscles relax a bit. Just like after a quidditch match. "Ahhhh. That helps." A few moments later she felt the tightening start again. "Here comes another one." She closed her eyes and did her breathing.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction was more powerful and painful, and the pain in her pelvis was sharper, with brighter shades of red and yellow. Sweat started dripping down into her eyes.

"Good, good. Looks like the position change let the head and shoulder come around the corner some more. Do you feel like you want to push?" Ginny shook her head, still focusing on her breathing. The contraction eased, but the pain in her pelvis remained.

She heard water dripping, then Harry put a cool cloth on her forehead. "Getting closer. The top of the head is still just visible. Should be soon. You're doing great." Ginny nodded without speaking. Haylie renewed the heating charm.

Soon the next contraction arrived, the reds and yellows brighter. The pain threatened to overcome her focus, and she felt a flutter of panic. She gripped Harry's hand tightly. She felt warmth on her cheek, heard Harry's whisper in her ear. "Breathe, Ginny." She concentrated on her breathing, and the pain felt farther away.

In. Out.

In. Out.

The contraction faded away. The cool cloth was replaced on her forehead, and she scrubbed her face with it. She felt tired. She felt sore. She felt big. She felt like she was going to be split in two. She felt tempted to have potions and spells take all the pain away. She felt another brush on her cheek. She opened her eyes to see Harry's green eyes staring back. He smiled. She felt better. She felt loved. She stretched her aching back, and scooted up in the bed a bit.

Soon she felt the tightening starting again, and it quickly escalated. The pain was accompanied by a pressure in her bum.

In. Out.

In...

Her breathing faltered. "Good, Ginny, good. Good progress with this one." Haylie noted the skip in the breathing. "Do you feel like you want to push?" Ginny nodded emphatically. "Good. Take a deep breath and hold it, focus on the pressure in your bum and push it out. Ginny held her breath, focused on the pressure and pushed.

"Excellent, lots of movement. Keep pushing, keep pushing. Good. Keep pushing until you need to breathe or the contraction ends."

Ginny strained and pushed, then the contraction eased and she gasped for air. "Ow ow ow ow ow..." The pain was nearly to the skin level now, and felt like a round ring of fire trying to burn its way out.

"I know, I know. Lots of stretching. A few more and we should have a baby. You're doing great."

She heard Harry ask "Is that her head?"

"Yep. Just starting to come out. Do you want to feel it, Ginny?"

Ginny nodded. "Let me have your hand." Her hand was guided down, and she could feel a slightly squishy hair-covered lump. "There's your baby. Almost here." Tears sprang to her eyes. This more than anything else, her swollen tummy, the kicks and flops and rolls, made it real. She was going to have a baby. She was going to be a mother. She touched it again, mentally reassuring her daughter and taking strength from her at the same time.

The next contraction ramped up quickly, and Ginny took a breath and pushed before Haylie could tell her. "Good Ginny, good! Keep going." Ginny felt the ring of fire burn and spread. Harry was holding her hand tight and whispering support in her ear. She let out a wordless yell. "Good, good, good. The head's coming... almost... almost... Ok, the head's out Ginny, stop pushing for a second. Breathe through it."

Ginny grunted and shook her head. She needed to push. Harry's voice cut through the red and yellow haze. "Breathe, Ginny, breathe."

In. Out.

In. Out.

She heard the squishy noise of the mouth and nose being suctioned. "Ready to finish?" Haylie asked. She nodded. "OK, go."

Ginny took another breath in and pushed. She felt hands enter around her daughter and press down. "Push, push, push, push," chanted Haylie. Ginny felt the stretching increase again, saw red and yellow in her vision. There was a small 'pop' and suddenly she felt like her insides were falling out.

"OK Ginny, you can relax! Here it comes. Your baby's out!" Ginny panted heavily, the ring of fire fading fast. Her legs started shaking, then her hands. She felt suddenly cold. "Good job, Ginny, you did great," said Haylie. She noticed the shaking. "The shaking is normal, it's the adrenaline. If you feel nauseated you let me know. You were right, it's a girl, and she looks wonderful." Haylie severed and cauterized the cord, and cast cleaning and warming charms on the baby.

"Open up your gown." Ginny looked down and saw Haylie drying off a slippery slimy squirming tiny baby. "Here you go." She opened her gown and Haylie placed the naked baby on her bare chest with a wide smile. She closed the gown over the baby, then covered them both with a couple of blankets. Ginny looked into the bright blue eyes that were staring back up at her from under the blankets. There was a thick cloud of black frizzy hair, sticking up in all directions from the cleaning charms. She wrapped her arms around her precious bundle and laid her head back, exhausted.

Harry was back, kissing the top of her head. Ginny turned to him and he gave her a kiss that she felt down to her toes. They broke the kiss, foreheads still touching. She looked into his eyes. She could see the crinkles from his smile. "You did it. I'm so in awe of you right now. What an amazing thing. Thank you for this." He looked down at his daughter, put a hand on her hair. "She's so beautiful."

"We did it, Harry. I couldn't have done it without you."

"You flatter me. I know I got the easy part."

Ginny smiled, then grunted as she felt a sharp pain down below.

"Sorry, Ginny, just checking. You have a bit of a tear, right near the outside. No major damage, but it's big enough that it'll need a healing charm. You remember our discussion about all the things I have to do after the delivery?"

Ginny nodded tiredly, lay her head back again and closed her eyes. Harry stroked her head gently. "Yeah. Go ahead." Now that the baby was out she was fine with more invasive magic.

"First is the charm to help the placenta deliver and to prevent bleeding. Ready?"

Ginny nodded again. She felt another strong contraction, followed by a sliding, gushing feeling, then she heard a couple of plops.

"All done with that. Now for your little tear." There was a soft 'tergeo' followed by a soft 'episky.' It was over before Ginny could even register any pain. She reached around on the bed.

"What do you need, Ginny?" asked Harry.

"A pillow. I need to be up a bit more." Harry grabbed a pillow and propped her head up. She stared into her daughter's eyes again. Such a pretty shade of light blue, like the cornflowers in the meadow of her inner place, or the sky. She stroked a cheek with the back of her finger. So soft.

"Hello, Lily Luna. Welcome to the world." They had agreed on the name even before she was pregnant. Her daughter blinked and stared back some more. Tears tracked down her face, and she wiped them with her hand, sniffing.

Haylie looked up. "Alright there Ginny?"

"Alright, just emotional."

"That's normal. Just let it come. You said Lily Luna?" Ginny nodded. "That's a lovely name."

Ginny smiled and nodded again. "Harry's mum's name, our friend's name." Family and friends were important.

Haylie continued. "Ready to try nursing? Once we get her latched on well, we could let some other visitors in if you wanted."

"Thanks. I want to see everyone." Ginny tugged at her gown, opening it up. Haylie raised the head of the bed and positioned a pillow on her lap. Ginny scooted up in bed a bit and arranged Lily in the crook of her left arm. She rolled her in towards her breast and used her right hand to tap her lips. Lily's mouth and eyes opened wide on instinct and Ginny pulled her close and popped her breast into the waiting mouth. Lily started sucking, her little jaw working, and stared up at Ginny's face for a moment before her eyes closed in contentment.

"Nicely done. Any pain?" asked Haylie.

"No pain. A little weird, but it doesn't hurt."

"Good," said Haylie. "Let's get you covered up a bit, then I'll fetch your family. You want them _all_ in?" She smiled to let Ginny know she was teasing. But there really were a _lot_ of Weasleys, plus assorted friends. Haylie arranged a blanket to provide privacy but still allow the baby to be visible.

"Oh, yes. They've been waiting so long already."

"Alright, I'll send them in. I'll be in and out tidying up a bit, then I'll be at the desk doing my paperwork. Did you want some tea, or anything?"

Ginny looked down at her daughter, still nursing.

"When we're done, I guess. I don't know if I'm coordinated enough yet for nursing and drinking."

Haylie laughed again. "You will be soon, to be sure. Back in a tic. Give a shout if you need me."

Ginny looked down at her precious daughter as her mum and dad came in the room, smiling, soon followed by her brothers, sisters-in-law and assorted nieces and nephews. Luna and Neville came in too. Friends and family all. Rather than overwhelmed by the crowd, she felt connected and supported. Harry looked happier than she had ever seen him, except maybe for their wedding day. Her mum came to give her a hug as her dad and Bill were telling Harry about the birth of their children. _We did it, Harry. We made a miracle. _She looked around the room. _Family._ She sighed contentedly.

In.

Out.

A/N: I know Lily Luna was born third, but I'm partial to daughters . So there you go. A more 'natural' birth in the magical world, though I suppose magic is 100% natural. An interesting debate.


End file.
